I would really like it if life would just settle into a dull routine for a while and be harmonious.
First I had a whole deal at Tor where I changed editors, and my books got rescheduled. Bottom line — only expect to see short stories from me in 2011. It’s going to be 2012 before any novels appear again. Not a happy circumstance, but it seems like things are finally going into the pipe line.
Meanwhile look for a story from me in Fort Freak due out in June, and in Down These Strange Streets in October. The October story features Cross (for those of you who have read the Edge books) and is set during the Depression. I had a lot of fun writing with it, and thanks to George and Gardner for giving me the chance.
I’m thinking about writing another Paladin story. This one about the Russian paladin who enters Berlin in 1945 and what he finds. If I don’t find a market I’ll post it on the website for your reading enjoyment. I’ll also continue on the third Edge book, and start plotting the third urban fantasy.
Then my new and wonderful dressage coach announced yesterday that he will only teach out of Las Campanas. Let me tell you about Las Campanas. It’s a very fancy subdivision on the far side of Santa Fe from me. It has a golf course designed by some famous golfer. The houses all have to cost a certain amount and have a certain square footage or you can’t get it past the building committee. Back in the day they build a _90_ stall equestrian center with indoor arena, etc. But here were a couple of kickers — you had to life at Las Campanas to get in, and you had to _buy_ a stall. At the time a stall cost $30,000 dollars. People did that. Which brings me to my next point. They say the rich are different. If they buy thirty thousand dollar stalls I would say they are stupid. But I digress.
So times change, Bush and the Republicans and the big banks melt down the economy and suddenly Las Campanas is in big trouble. Fancy houses are in foreclosure. Horses are a luxury item and the barn is empty and hemorrhaging money. So now folks who don’t live in Las Campanas can come in, and they’ve dropped the price of the stalls to a bargain basement $11,500. I’d be pissed if I’d paid thirty.
I went over and I toured the place yesterday. It’s very nice, but it made me think all the high school cheerleaders who dissed me because I was a brainy geek were going to come around a corner at any moment. I talked to them about this buying thing — what if my horse died, or I got hurt and couldn’t ride any longer. Could I walk away or are they going to send collection agents after me. They never really answered that, but they told me there was a $50.00 administrative fee on top of the monthly payment on the stall even if it were standing empty. And of course I could list it for sale. Riiiight. I couldn’t resist, I asked them what kind of administration was required for an empty stall? They just blinked at me.
And of course what happens if Allen gets mad at Las Campanas or they get mad at him and he leaves? If I’ve moved there and bought a stall I’m stuck. Oh, and it’s a 45 minute drive from my house to the barn. Right now I am five minutes from Vento. I can check on him any time day or night.
Then I rode with Allen today and my horse is going better than he ever has. He is going to be able to do the FEI work in the next year, and I don’t want to lose this trainer. The lady who owns my barn is frantically trying to bring in a trainer, but we need someone good and we need them fast.
Then there’s my attempts to buy a place in CA. I had offered on a short sale property, but the bank wasn’t moving. So the agent called with a new place, and I had to offer on it _right now_. I got pushed and made the offer, bought a ticket for Saturday to go look at it, and then really started studying the square footage and the lack of a garage, etc. and the money and realized the sq. ft. cost was insanely high. I did a search on Zillow and realized that I’d be paying what was paid for this place just before the financial meltdown. In other words bubble price. My gut said walk so I’m walking.
Basically I just wanted to rant because I want a peaceful space to write on my Edge book, and think about my short story. Thanks for letting me blow off steam.
